Swivel assemblies are located at the lower side of the rifle butt and the other end is connected along the bottom of the forearm support piece of the rifle. The strap and swivel assemblies are designed mainly to support the firearm, such as a rifle or shotgun, at the back of the shoulder during parades or on long hikes. However, in combat, or when using the firearm, the sling is superfluous and in some instances cumbersome since the firearm must be either unslung from the shoulder, or else the sling interferes with the firing of the firearm while slung on the shoulder.
Various attempts have been made in the prior art to improve the swivel and sling assembly which have only been moderately successful. For example, it has been know to place the swivel to one side of a firearm such as in a German submachine gun known as a Schmeisser MP-40. This design permitted the firing of a weapon from waist level if need be, with the sling attached at the shoulder. Firing a weapon from the hip or waist lowers the accuracy, and, in most instances, the ability to hit a target beyond ten meters from this position is a matter of guess work.